Big freeze on its way to Perthshire again

Dec 10 2010 by Iain Howie, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Make the most of cold respite

THE Big Freeze is set to ease over the next few days – but forecasters are predicting it will hit back with the return of snow late next week.

Yesterday, Scotland was still covered by the Met Office’s orange coded warning to be prepared for bad weather and poor conditions on the roads.

But from today the agency had no warnings in place with a forecast covering Perth saying it would be “less cold”.

The Strathallan weather station reported a temperature of 3.1ºC yesterday, with similar values expected on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Overnight, temperatures are expected to fall to a low of about -3ºC.

The Met Office’s chief forecaster Andy Page said yesterday: “The UK is not out of the woods as far as the cold weather is concerned.

“Although there is a brief recovery of temperatures over the coming days, cold north easterly winds are expected to bring a return to the cold conditions next week with the risk of snow, especially in the north and east.”

The Met Office’s long-range forecast says next week will start dry, with the risk of occasional rain, sleet and snow on the higher reaches in the east.

But as the month wears on it warns there is an increasing chance of snow showers in northern and eastern parts of the UK, with some significant accumulations likely.

It says: “Winds are likely to be light at first, but will become strong towards the end of the first week, with perhaps a risk of gales in eastern parts.

“Temperatures will be cold or very cold throughout, with widespread, locally severe, overnight frosts and some freezing fog patches developing in places.”